Raging Madness and Calming Innocence
by Writer1001
Summary: An AU story where Azula has been released from the asylum and and moves in with Ty Lee in Republic City. The change is getting to her head and while a little breather, she stumbles upon a little green eyed bundle that starts to change her. No bending.


**Probending Circuit: Round Two**

Write about your character(s) finding out he/she/they are going to have a baby (pregnancy or adoption) or finding a baby.

Prompts used: Blanket, Bolin and Gender-Bend

Words: 2170 (excluding the title)

Bonus: Included my element in the fic.

Enjoy!

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 **Raging Madness and Calming Innocence**

Thundering feet ran down stairs that lead out of the fire escape of an apartment complex. Gold eyes crazily looked at the door, which was mere inches from her grasp.

Said door opened with a bang as Azula escaped from what felt like an airless building and out into the open, into an alleyway that had a pungent rotting aroma.

Azula let out deep ragged breaths, her heart pulsing a thousand beats per second. Tainted air entered her lungs, and slowly the newly breathed in oxygen began the calming process of her erratic mind.

Once she felt like she could think clearly, Azula leaned against the wall of the tall building and felt it cooling her burning body.

In the distance sounds of cars beeping and honking entered Azula's ears. Republic City was loud. It was still a new city, or so she was told by Ty Lee, but it had already attracted so many people from across the nations and together they created a city that was pulsing with noise at every minute.

Azula couldn't handle this, the noise, the busyness, it was too much. Her frail mind would never be able to adjust to the sudden change of environments.

The asylum had done wonders for her mind. It had been tranquil and peaceful, which helped heal parts of its brokenness, and for the first time in ten years she felt almost human.

It was only natural that she had grasped the opportunity to be able to finally free herself of the chains that the asylum had held her down with, enabling her from feeling completely whole.

But she was relapsing. Voices were re-emerging again. They were leisurely wrapping their coils around her naked mind and their poison was slowly seeping through, unwanted thoughts circulating once more.

Troubled golden eyes met the clear blue skies. Dark circles were prominent on Azula's face as she tiredly sighed and turned her body back to the door.

A light, airy giggle filled the quiet alleyway and Azula instantly froze, her hand placed right on top of the metal door.

The same sound repeated itself, echoing in the empty alleyway. Azula turned her head sharply behind her, eagle-eyes scanning her surroundings and was met with nothing. A look of masked anxiety was on her face as she quickly entered the building, her movements frantic and clumsy.

Just as the door was about to close, a cry rang out.

Azula paused. Her ears listened carefully as she held door a few inches from being entirely shut. The cry… It sounded so similar to a crying baby much to her confusion. What was her mind up to?

Even though distrustful, Azula ventured outside once more and slowly followed where the sound led.

Each step taken closer to the cry, the more distinct it became. The disgusting smell grew even thicker as Azula neared the garage bin, the source of cry.

With a repulsed expression, Azula peered inside the bin. In a brown cardboard wrapped in a green fuzzy blanket, a chubby baby was crying furiously, tiny fists waving in the air and tears streaming down his face.

Azula cautiously poked the little baby with her finger and quickly withdrew it once it met flesh. In that quick moment the baby's cries conceded and he opened up his reddened, green eyes.

Green met gold as a chubby hand tried to reach Azula's strand of long hair as a giggle escaped his toothless mouth. She moved back in shock at what she was seeing and retreated backwards, moving further away from the child.

Once the door of the fire escape closed, the cries began anew and Azula couldn't help but pause. A foot on a step, she closed her eyes and clenched her hands into fists. When did she grow a conscious?

| 0 | 0 | 0

The baby's mouth suckled on a bottle filled with formula as it eagerly swallowed the milk down to his hungry stonach. Azula looked down at the baby as she held the baby on the crook of her right arm gently while holding the bottle up with other.

Walking out on the streets with crying baby had been an vexing experience. The stupid thing wouldn't stop crying and people couldn't seem to help their staring.

It was even more difficult to shop for one. She wanted to quickly grab all the necessary items and get out of the busy streets and retreat back to the apartment; but shopping for a baby proved to be more frustrating than one thought.

Everything looked the same in her eyes and she had no idea what baby's needed. Luckily a shop assistant came by, seeing her struggle, and helped her grab the important items and explained what each did briefly.

She felt the baby's tiny arms grabbing the bottle, hungrily inhaling the milk till the bottle was empty. He wrinkled his button nose cutely as he let out a loud burp for a baby.

As Azula raised the baby up high she caught a whiff of the baby's smell and moved her face side ways as the smell got stuck at the back of her throat.

"Disgusting," Azula muttered as she stood up with the baby and headed to the bathroom. "A quick bath should get rid of your repulsive odour."

Warm water gushed out the taps, quickly filling the bath. She mixed a bit of cold water in, creating a lukewarm temperature.

Azula stripped the baby out of his dirty, smelly clothes and placed him the bath. She quickly went out of the bathroom and chucked the old clothes into the bin and fetched the recently brought baby washing products, hurrying back to the bathroom.

| 0 | 0 | 0

Ty Lee unlocked the front door of his apartment and was met with silence. Having Azula living with him on high alert but much to Ty Lee's chagrin, Azula kept out of his way and kept herself locked up in her room. Quiet was a usual for Ty Lee but it felt wrong since he now had a 'roommate' but it was difficult to connect to Azula. The other girl no longer trusted him after their last meeting…

Ty Lee moved to his comfy couch, his feet aching from ballet practice, and saw a small green blanket draped across it. His eyebrows furrowed as he noticed an empty bottle on the floor.

"Azula?" he called out timidly as a whirlwind of ideas formulated in his mind.

The door of the bathroom opened and out came Azula with a bundle in her arms.

A baby was wrapped in a white towel as it happily giggled tugging away at Azula's perfect hair.

" Ty Lee," Azula acknowledged as she moved past him and sat down on the couch and began to dry the slightly wet infant.

An incredulous look morphed on Ty Lee's face as he stared at Azula. No explanation or a word about the elephant, or in this case, baby, in the room.

After an uncomfortable pause, Ty Lee tentatively began as he settled on his knees and faced his friend. "Azula, where did you get the baby?"

Azula simply ignored him as she took clothes from a shopping bag and began to dress the baby, the gentlest Azula has ever been Ty Lee noticed as he carefully eyed her friend. She seemed to be locked away in her own universe.

A motherly aura surrounded Azula, her eyes filled with warmth that seemed foreign but came easily to her. Once the baby was tucked into the crook of her arm, Azula turned her usual steely gaze at Ty Lee.

"Why, Ty Lee, do you ask me questions that you have already answered for yourself? I think that you think that I stole this baby," Azula said with a vindictive smirk plastered on her face as she glared up at Ty Lee. "Am I wrong?"

Ty Lee sputtered as he tried to deny Azula's accusations but after a few minutes of trying to formulate the right words, he realised that Azula was right. What else was he supposed to think?

"Is it okay?" Ty Lee asked as he watched the baby's eyes droop shut.

"It has a gender. His name is Bolin," Azula softly said as she momentarily returned to her motherly world as she lightly began play with his brown strands.

"You named him?" Ty Lee couldn't help voice out as he drizzly sat on the couch still facing Azula.

His friend had spiraled this time deeper into her tornado of craziness. He was the only one that had supported Azula in getting released from the asylum, even invited her in his home - but regret was ebbing its way into his mind. What had he done?

Instead of answering, Azula leaned forward and stretched her free hand into a cardboard box and took out a piece of paper. She extended the folded page to Ty Lee with a perfectly arched eyebrow mocking him.

His dainty, large hand grabbed the piece of white paper and opened it.

" _To whomever has found my baby_ ," Ty Lee read out loud. " _I'm sorry you had to find my baby the way you did but it was the only thing I could. His name is Bolin. I can't take care of him and I hope you do or can find someone that can. Take care of this baby instead of failing like I did. Thank you_."

The piece of paper slipped out of the Ty Lee's hand and glided towards the carpent. "You saved him."

Azula stood up, a blank look on her face. "I want to adopt him Ty Lee. It's either you're with me or against me on the matter. It's up to you if you support me or not. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't." When Ty Lee looked up at Azula with hurt eyes, she began to move towards her room, each step punctuating her victory.

Ty Lee let his head fall into his hands and felt tears forming in his gray eyes and his heart aching. Maybe he wasn't ready to accept that Azula was better, but then why did he let her walk into his life again?

| 0 | 0 | 0

The night came with strong winds. They blew angrily, rattling the windows with their might as the winds moved throughout the city.

Baby Bolin snored lightly as he slept comfortably in Azula's bed while she brushed her hair until it was perfectly straight and shined to Azula's approval. She placed the brush down and looked at her reflection to once more observe her own beauty until an unwanted ghost appeared.

Ursa stood tall behind her daughter's back with a small smile in place. "Hello Azula."

Azula's eyes hardened and scowl formed on her face. "What are you doing here, Mother?"

"To warn you Azula," the image her mother said as she placed a hand on Azula's shoulder. "You're not ready to be what you desire. Motherhood was a destiny never meant for you my darling girl."

A snort escaped Azula's nose. Amusement was evident on her face as Azula leaned against her chair and folded her arms. "Is that so?"

"We both know you're not ready," Ursa said, the same smiling expression plastered on her face. "You're still filled with bitterness and hate. Do you realise how much energy and love it requires to raise a child? He'll drive you over the edge and it will be only a matter of time before you hurt him. Or worse."

Rage consumed Azula at the words of her mother. How dare she judge?! She wasn't even real! Azula's mind became clear at the sudden realisation. She wasn't real…

"I know I may not seem like the motherly type but I know I can raise this child. Will I win the trophy of mother of the year? No, but I can give that child the love I never I got from you," Azula said pointing at the reflection of her mother; her gaze filled with a burning passion.

"His mother left him in the trash like he was a piece of garbage. I will love that child like he is my own. I will save him from a path filled with hate and anger. I will save him from becoming like me." Her head was bowed as her face contorted with brief pain, but she looked back again at the apparition in the mirror with a glare. "You're just a figment of my imagination, intangible. This will be the last I ever see you because I'm ready. Ready to let go of all my hate and anger. I want to be better, better for that child in my bed."

Standing up with an air of victory, Azula looked at the image of her fading of her mother.

"Goodbye Mother," Azula said with finality and headed towards her bed.

The night has brought strong winds, strong winds of change.


End file.
